Pettibone, George A., 1862-1908

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts regarding the upcoming presidential election and the land fraud case against Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah with William Allen White. Roosevelt outlines his personal reasons for supporting Secretary of War William H. Taft for president as well as the political considerations necessary to secure his nomination. In the case of Borah, Roosevelt would like White to come to Oyster Bay to discuss the matter with him and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte; Roosevelt thinks it would look bad for Borah to come himself, and asks White to bring Borah’s lawyers on August 9.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Idaho Governor Gooding informs President Roosevelt that there is an attempt to have Senator William Edgar Borah’s trial postponed, which would interfere with Borah’s involvement in the case against George A. Pettibone. Through Roosevelt, Gooding appeals to the Department of Justice that the local authorities not postpone it, as its resolution is a matter of public interest and necessary for the proper conduct of the Pettibone trial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-21

Creator(s)

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Idaho Governor Gooding laments to President Roosevelt that most people associated with the prosecution of the alleged murderers of Governor of Idaho Frank Steuenberg have been indicted and accused of connection with the alleged timber land frauds in the state.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-15

Creator(s)

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Detective Pinkerton updates Governor Gooding on their investigation into the Western Federation of Miners (W.F.M.). Pinkerton learned that the W.F.M. is pursuing a strategy to implicate the late Governor in fraudulent timber sales. In doing this, Pinkerton believes the Western Federation of Miners hopes to “discredit him (Governor Steunenberg) in the eyes of the people in order to help the cause of the defendants,” Bill Haywood, Charles Moyer, and George Pettibone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-05

Creator(s)

Pinkerton, William A. (William Allan), 1846-1923

The Daily News covers Grand Jury disclosures in the land fraud case of Charles H. Moyer, Big Bill Haywood and George A. Pettibone. The disclosures seem to indicate a connection to the late Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg, as well as an anonymous message that was sent to Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone’s attorney. Significant support of Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone was also noted in a series of speeches made at the Coliseum protesting their incarnation. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-31

Creator(s)

The Daily News

President Roosevelt responds to an offer, transmitted by John Ellerton Lodge, to have the Russian author and political activist Maksim Gorky visit during his trip to the United States. If Gorky were only an author, Roosevelt would have no objection to seeing him, but because of Gorky’s involvement with revolutionary movements, “which in governmental matters is a revolt against order as well as against tyranny, and in domestic matters is a revolt against the ordinary decencies and moralities even more than against conventional hypocrisies and cruelties,” Roosevelt is not interested in receiving him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

George Allan England had previously written President Roosevelt requesting that he apologize to Big Bill Haywood for referring to him as an “undesirable citizen” in the wake of the Haywood-Moyer affair. England now requests that Roosevelt apologize to Charles H. Moyer and George A. Pettibone as well, as they have been cleared of wrongdoing.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-18

Creator(s)

England, George Allan, 1877-1936

On behalf of the Peru Trades & Labor Council, Herman C. Uthoff demands that President Roosevelt writes an apology to Big Bill Haywood, George Pettibone, and Charles Moyer for his comments calling them undesirable citizens in the wake of the assassination of ex-Idaho Governor Steunenberg. All three men have been acquitted of the murder. Their accusation was part of a conspiracy against labor union leaders.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-08

Creator(s)

Peru Trades and Labor Council (Peru, Ill.)

Attorney General Bonaparte sends President Roosevelt a letter from Special Assistant Attorney General Ormsby McHarg on the “very serious and unsatisfactory” situation in New Mexico. He also encloses a letter from United States District Attorney N. M. Ruick stating his position on the case against Senator William Edgar Borah. Bonaparte looks forward to hearing Roosevelt’s thoughts on the matters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-07

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Edward Moore, on behalf of the Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone Protest Conference of Philadelphia, sends President Roosevelt the resolutions adopted at its meeting of August 4, 1907. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-05

Creator(s)

Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone Protest Conference of Philadelphia

Attorney General Bonaparte submits a detailed analysis of the case against Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah to President Roosevelt. Bonaparte believes, ultimately, that a postponement in the case against Borah will be necessary. Bonaparte has received reports of charges against Florida judge William B. Sheppard. In North Carolina, Bonaparte believes the situation between the legislature, the railroad, and the Federal government has been resolved, but in future would prefer to let local authorities do their own negotiating.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-01

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Charles A. Ritchey sends President Roosevelt a circular being distributed with the endorsement of the Socialist Party in Hagerstown, Maryland. The circular discusses Roosevelt’s stance on the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone matter. Ritchey does not know if such inflammatory material is illegal to circulate, but he sends it to Roosevelt in case something can be done.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-16

Creator(s)

Ritchey, Charles A. (Charles Acheson), 1871-1924

A committee of American citizens from Anthony, Kansas, asks President Roosevelt to read Justice McKenna’s dissenting opinion in the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone case.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-08

Creator(s)

Unknown

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-04

Creator(s)

Ross, Napoleon

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

Sam P. Davis acknowledges the recent letter from William Loeb stating that President Roosevelt would be unable to attend the unveiling of a statue of John William Mackay. He had not mentioned the prospective invitation to anyone, so there will not be any criticism of his inability to attend. Davis says that someday when Roosevelt is out of the White House, he and Governor Sparks of Nevada will try to give him a chance to hunt grizzly bears. Many people in Nevada commend Roosevelt’s stance on the Moyer, Haywood, and Pettibone cases, and Davis says that they have recently been having trouble with the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.), who sympathize with the three men. Davis encloses newspaper articles giving an idea of the situation in Nevada.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-26

Creator(s)

Davis, Sam P. (Sam Post), 1850-1918

On behalf of the Ohio Valley Trades & Labor Assembly, Edward Sims and H. B. Wessel denounce President Roosevelt’s pretrial condemnation of men being tried in connection with the assassination of Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-29

Creator(s)

Sims, Edward, 1864-1946; Wessel, H. B. (Henry Bernard), 1870-1951

Reverend Kratzer tells President Roosevelt that, although he usually agrees with his domestic policies, he initially thought Roosevelt was unfair in calling Charles H. Moyer, Big Bill Haywood, and George A. Pettibone “undesirable citizens.” However, having read the letter to William Henry Jackson which was just published, Kratzer now thinks that Roosevelt is within his rights.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-26

Creator(s)

Kratzer, G. A. (Glenn Andrews), 1869-

Clifford Howard argues that attitude of labor organizations in regard to the the Charles H. Moyer, Big Bill Haywood, and George A. Pettibone murder trial is due to the Supreme Court’s practice of issuing divided opinions. Justice J. MicKenna’s dissenting opinion provides the basis for the claims labor agitators and anarchists make for interference.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-25

Creator(s)

Howard, Clifford, 1868-1942

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-25

Creator(s)

Decker, A. C.

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

Reverend Horst approves of President Roosevelt’s letter to William Henry Jackson (Honore Jaxon) regarding the Moyer-Haywood affair. Horst believes the labor leaders and their influence are dangerous to Americans and wage workers. He also thanks Roosevelt for his efforts at friendly relations with Germany, where Horst’s parents were born.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-24

Creator(s)

Horst, Theodore, 1862-1927